Abstract
Social workers operate within a complex environment where the failure to live up to
expectations can lead to negative self-judgements or negative judgements from others, a sense of inadequacy and not feeling ‘good enough’. This paper conceptualises such issues through the lens of ‘social worker shame’ defined through a psychosociocultural understanding of the emotion. The effect of social worker shame on social workers’ wellbeing and practise is considered and begins to conceptualise how an organisation can become shame-sensitive and practitioners shame-resilient with the aim of reducing the potential impact of social worker shame on practise.
expectations can lead to negative self-judgements or negative judgements from others, a sense of inadequacy and not feeling ‘good enough’. This paper conceptualises such issues through the lens of ‘social worker shame’ defined through a psychosociocultural understanding of the emotion. The effect of social worker shame on social workers’ wellbeing and practise is considered and begins to conceptualise how an organisation can become shame-sensitive and practitioners shame-resilient with the aim of reducing the potential impact of social worker shame on practise.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 417-431 |
Journal | Journal of Social Work Practice: Psychotherapeutic Approaches in Health, Welfare and the Community |
Volume | 28 |
Issue number | 4 |
Early online date | 28 Apr 2014 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2014 |
Keywords
- Social Work
- Shame
- Practice
- Decision Making